Enhance Infrastructure

The NSF Act of 1950 authorizes and directs the Foundation "to foster and support the development and use of computer and other scientific and engineering methods and technologies, primarily for research and education in the sciences and engineering;...”  “NSF investments provide state-of-the-art tools for research and education, such as instrumentation and equipment, multi-user facilities, ... telescopes, research vessels and aircraft, ... Internet-based and distributed user facilities, ... research networks, digital libraries and large databases."

Types of Activities

1. Identify and establish collaborations between disciplines and institutions, among the U.S. academic institutions, industry and government and with international partners.
2. Stimulate and support the development and dissemination of next-generation instrumentation, multi-user facilities, and other shared research and education platforms.
3. Maintain, operate and modernize shared research and education infrastructure, including facilities and science and technology centers and engineering research centers
4. Upgrade the computation and computing infrastructure, including advanced computing resources and new types of information tools (e.g., large databases, networks and associated systems, and digital libraries).
5. Develop activities that ensure that multi-user facilities are sites of research and mentoring for large numbers of science and engineering students.